Nana Ironeye's good eye widens as Mirabel reveals the metal disk with the strange symbol on it. "Such is an ancient druidic lunar symbol. It represents the moon just beginning to fade from its full glory. What it is doing on such strange metal I have no clue. I've not ever seen its like around here for sure."
((Okay, so far I've got Peren Gavin, and Thont going to see the Sheriff, Kathra maybe heading to Helpington's, and Mirabel going with one of those splits soon. I'm going to start doing the Sheriff group and if Kathra is, in fact going to Helpington's I'll do that once that's agreed.))
((Alright, I'm going to get the Sheriff Group post together and then, after Mirabel decides what he's doing, I'll get the Helpington's Group post up.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
As you three leave the witch's hut and enter into the cool evening air, you notice that it's starting to get a bit later than you had anticipated. The evening sun is beginning to drop below the high ridges of the Storm Horn mountains and you can see small lights from lanterns being lit in the streets of Refuge. Rounding Elder Merrik's manor house, you head straight for the L-shaped building at the south eastern corner of the town's main intersection.
For Thont:
Most of the buildings you can see from here appear to be of stone and wood construction. Though some look a little newer or better kept up than others, all look like they've weathered decades of mountain winters and the baking summer sun.
For Peren:
Not only are things you spot on your walk through the center of town so banally unstrange, you find your mind beginning to wander with fantasies of mystery and intrigue among the villagers you see in hopes that maybe your daydreams might impress upon them and come real if only for the excitement.
As you come to the open doorway of the building you hear two men having a conversation within. The first, with a deeper voice, seems to be consoling the other. "Now Jossu, I know these last few days have been hard for you, what with the loss of the temple and Aria, but you can't be spending your days drinking away at the Lamp and causing a ruckus. Other people 'round here are in a fright too and it ain't no fair to them for you to be stumbling around making things worse." The second responds with slightly slurred speech. "Yur right Harken. But Lliira's house was all I had. And Aria was so kind. It ain't right how both was snuffed out like so. If only that Farfoot had gone to someone else with his tales....." The second man sort of trails off to mumbles and tears.
Thont enters and bows. "Sheriff, if I may...my monastery often found the weary sipping our ales to escape life's harsh richness instead of celebrating it." ...Thont ignoring all social conventions of actually needing to know anyone before consoling them...
"Life takes many paths, but suffering is a part of many. Drowning ones sorrows may bring what seems to be closure but all it does is close ones eyes."
I try and place a reassuring hand and use Insight while kneeling beside the drunk one.
Sheriff Harken seems a little startled by your abrupt entrance, just long enough for you to give your consolations and wisdom to Jossu. The crying man seems to settle down and sort of sits in his chair in a mix of drunken stupor and quit contemplation. Harken recovers from his initial shock and turns to the three of you. "You them adventurer folk old Merrik has hired, right? What can I do you for?" Sherrif Harken is a tall, broad shouldered human, wearing the basic outfit of a Watch Captain. He has a shortsword at his belt and a wide-brimmed hat. Jossu, also a human, looks to be a bit older, maybe pushing sixty. He's dirty and smells of ale.
Gavin walks in behind the giant monk as he is doing his words of wisdom on the drunk guy. He’s seen this before but he does his best not to interfere with Thont as he gets a lil grumpy when you make jokes when he is trying to show another concern.
“Evening sheriff, we wanted to stop by and have a chat with you before traveling up the mountain. The more information we can get on what’s been going on here, the better chance we will have to be prepared for whatever we find up there. My name is Gavin, the big fella is Thont, and this here is Pelen. Our other two friends are Kathra the dwarf, and Marabel who is Dragonborn. They are seeing to other things at the moment. What can you tell us about what’s been going on and please, spare us no details. We need to be as informed as possible if we hope to solve your town’s situation.”
((these both humans? Do a quick scan of the room to see if I notice anything unusual))
Sheriff Harken stands a little straighter than before, looking like a true Watch official getting ready to give a report. "From what I've gathered and witnessed here is what we know. Some months back there was a strange celestial disturbance in the sky. Citizens reported seeing two or three shooting star-like objects that moved freely about the sky above the Storm Horn before disappearing near the peaks. Also noted were strange aurora-like displays. Many of our more excitable folks feared it may be remnants of the Spellplague of day's gone by, but Nana Ironeye put those fears to rest as her magics seemed unaffected. We sent some trackers up to look around, but they came back empty-handed and life sort of moved on around here. About a month or so ago, we started getting reports of avalanches on normally safe mountain trails. Helpington reported to me that some mountain men who normally come into town to pick up supplies had missed their usual pick-up. We started sending guides with some of the travelers that wanted them. Early into that venture, two of our guides didn't come back. I sent a search party made up of our local tavern owner, Armond, and a few of the orchard hands who came up early for the beginning of harvest. They returned with the bodies of the guides and a story about finding them buried in an avalanche and beat to hell as if by bandits. The only really strange part was that the guides had wounds like a boar's tusks, but reversed, like maybe a young sabertooth, but nothing was eaten or scratched. All the money and supplies from the expedition were removed as well. About a week ago our halfling trackers, the Farfoot brothers offered to go up the mountain and suss out if there was a bandit camp around. A few days ago, one of them...Tommin, came back to town in a hurry in the night and rushed to Lliira's temple. It wasn't long after that the strange light came from the sky and leveled the place. Jossu here was first to get there, seeing's as he was tending to the graveyard that night. He pulled the bodies of our Priestess, Sister Aria, and Tommin from the wreckage." At that Jossu sniffles a bit and Harken continues. "Yes, well the rest of us got there pretty quickly and contained the damage. I noticed something weird about the wounds on Tommin and we sent his body to Nana Ironeye's to investigate. We buried Aria in the morning." With that he relaxes a little. "And that's pretty much it."
((Give me a second and I'll have your perception checks.))
This is a pretty well kept room. There is a desk at one end that sits so anyone sitting at it can see the main door and the row of three empty cells across from it. Nothing too odd sticks out. There is a small table and a few chairs by a fireplace and a bookcase with a few volumes of some dry looking civics books scattered on its shelves.
Back in Nana's hut, Mirabel snorts. "More strange business." He looks around, suddenly realizing that everyone else has left. "Thanks for your help," he says, hurrying out the door to catch up with Kathra.
“Hmmm, that is strange sheriff.” Replied Gavin. “Something attacked them and then took off with their supplies. I’m no expert on saber tooth’s, but I doubt they are known for looting corpses. Do you have any theories at all, no matter how crazy, what we are dealing with up there? We are going up there and I would hate to be caught flat footed.”
As you both leave Nana Ironeye's behind, you make your way south through town almost to the front gates, where the familiar sign of clasped hands awaits. Pushing the door at the front of Helpington's open, you trigger a small bell on a string that jingles lightly as you enter. The main room is divided evenly into four sections with waist-high tables stacked with all manner of clothes and gear. The walls are lined with ropes and metal hooks as well as tack and other pack-animal supplies. In the corner by the fireplace, a small boxed pen holds four or five softly clucking hens atop nests of dozens of eggs. By the far wall facing the door, a glass counter display with vary basic, if stylish weapons are on display next to a wooden manikin stand wearing some simple leather armor. As you move into the room a burly human man enters from a room beyond through a slit curtain. "Welcome to Helpington's, where we have a novelty for every need! How can I help you today?"
For Thont:
Jossu looks to you with widening eyes as you ask him about that terrifying night. "When the temple blew, I was in the graveyard tending to the recent additions. I was knocked to the ground at first, near struck blind by the radiance of it all. But then I ran towards Lliira's Temple calling for Aria. I had to crawl through broken walls and burning beams to find her. She was near dead when I got her out, coughing up blood and begging me to go save Tommin. So's I ran back in to find the little halfer. He was limp like a rag-doll and his arm was pinned under a beam by the window. I pulled and pulled, but it was stuck. There was some sparkly bit grown around it you see. I took a rock and bashed the arm but good until enough broke away so's I could pull him out. But he was dead....and by the time I got him out, Aria had done breathed her last as well." From there he gets a bit choked up and begins softly sobbing again.
For Gavin:
Sherrif Harken's expression turns serious again. "I reckon it's bandits at best, who have gotten their hands on some lost artifice, or some damnable cult at worst that's dredged up some bygone beast that shouldn't ever walk this land. There's just too much conflicting reports and none of this adds up the way I'd care it to."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
Thont further consoles Jossu, thanking him for sharing and promising to find out more ourselves. And should he remember anything else, I let him know we're staying at Davy's for a night before heading up to find answers.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kathra keeps her answer short and to the point. "Rope. Pitons. Enough for four climbers." She scratches her chin, thinking a bit. "We're investigating your town's problems. I don't know if that gets us a discount or not. It probably should. I think the Elder sent someone over to say something to that effect already."
Persuasion: 15
((150 feet of rope and 40 pitons ought to be enough. Also I just realized I have like, next to no money, so hopefully Mirabel doesn't mind pitching in since I can't convince anyone of ANYTHING.))
Nana Ironeye's good eye widens as Mirabel reveals the metal disk with the strange symbol on it. "Such is an ancient druidic lunar symbol. It represents the moon just beginning to fade from its full glory. What it is doing on such strange metal I have no clue. I've not ever seen its like around here for sure."
((Okay, so far I've got Peren Gavin, and Thont going to see the Sheriff, Kathra maybe heading to Helpington's, and Mirabel going with one of those splits soon. I'm going to start doing the Sheriff group and if Kathra is, in fact going to Helpington's I'll do that once that's agreed.))
((If it were real dice, I would buy a new set))
((Yep, Kathra's heading to Helpington's. And if these dice were real I'd be tempted to get a priest or something to perform an exorcism))
(( I believe you have it right Meta))
((Alright, I'm going to get the Sheriff Group post together and then, after Mirabel decides what he's doing, I'll get the Helpington's Group post up.))
For Peren, Gavin, and Thont:
As you three leave the witch's hut and enter into the cool evening air, you notice that it's starting to get a bit later than you had anticipated. The evening sun is beginning to drop below the high ridges of the Storm Horn mountains and you can see small lights from lanterns being lit in the streets of Refuge. Rounding Elder Merrik's manor house, you head straight for the L-shaped building at the south eastern corner of the town's main intersection.
For Thont:
Most of the buildings you can see from here appear to be of stone and wood construction. Though some look a little newer or better kept up than others, all look like they've weathered decades of mountain winters and the baking summer sun.
For Peren:
Not only are things you spot on your walk through the center of town so banally unstrange, you find your mind beginning to wander with fantasies of mystery and intrigue among the villagers you see in hopes that maybe your daydreams might impress upon them and come real if only for the excitement.
As you come to the open doorway of the building you hear two men having a conversation within. The first, with a deeper voice, seems to be consoling the other. "Now Jossu, I know these last few days have been hard for you, what with the loss of the temple and Aria, but you can't be spending your days drinking away at the Lamp and causing a ruckus. Other people 'round here are in a fright too and it ain't no fair to them for you to be stumbling around making things worse." The second responds with slightly slurred speech. "Yur right Harken. But Lliira's house was all I had. And Aria was so kind. It ain't right how both was snuffed out like so. If only that Farfoot had gone to someone else with his tales....." The second man sort of trails off to mumbles and tears.
Thont enters and bows. "Sheriff, if I may...my monastery often found the weary sipping our ales to escape life's harsh richness instead of celebrating it." ...Thont ignoring all social conventions of actually needing to know anyone before consoling them...
"Life takes many paths, but suffering is a part of many. Drowning ones sorrows may bring what seems to be closure but all it does is close ones eyes."
I try and place a reassuring hand and use Insight while kneeling beside the drunk one.
Insight: 13
((Bursting in like a solemn Kramer lol))
Sheriff Harken seems a little startled by your abrupt entrance, just long enough for you to give your consolations and wisdom to Jossu. The crying man seems to settle down and sort of sits in his chair in a mix of drunken stupor and quit contemplation. Harken recovers from his initial shock and turns to the three of you. "You them adventurer folk old Merrik has hired, right? What can I do you for?" Sherrif Harken is a tall, broad shouldered human, wearing the basic outfit of a Watch Captain. He has a shortsword at his belt and a wide-brimmed hat. Jossu, also a human, looks to be a bit older, maybe pushing sixty. He's dirty and smells of ale.
Gavin walks in behind the giant monk as he is doing his words of wisdom on the drunk guy. He’s seen this before but he does his best not to interfere with Thont as he gets a lil grumpy when you make jokes when he is trying to show another concern.
“Evening sheriff, we wanted to stop by and have a chat with you before traveling up the mountain. The more information we can get on what’s been going on here, the better chance we will have to be prepared for whatever we find up there. My name is Gavin, the big fella is Thont, and this here is Pelen. Our other two friends are Kathra the dwarf, and Marabel who is Dragonborn. They are seeing to other things at the moment. What can you tell us about what’s been going on and please, spare us no details. We need to be as informed as possible if we hope to solve your town’s situation.”
((these both humans? Do a quick scan of the room to see if I notice anything unusual))
Perception: 23
Thont will keep at consoling Jossu but listen in on the conversation everyone participates in.
Peren will also do a quick scan around the room, He says “nice to meet you sheriff, I hope we can solve this case in short order”
perception = 14
Sheriff Harken stands a little straighter than before, looking like a true Watch official getting ready to give a report. "From what I've gathered and witnessed here is what we know. Some months back there was a strange celestial disturbance in the sky. Citizens reported seeing two or three shooting star-like objects that moved freely about the sky above the Storm Horn before disappearing near the peaks. Also noted were strange aurora-like displays. Many of our more excitable folks feared it may be remnants of the Spellplague of day's gone by, but Nana Ironeye put those fears to rest as her magics seemed unaffected. We sent some trackers up to look around, but they came back empty-handed and life sort of moved on around here. About a month or so ago, we started getting reports of avalanches on normally safe mountain trails. Helpington reported to me that some mountain men who normally come into town to pick up supplies had missed their usual pick-up. We started sending guides with some of the travelers that wanted them. Early into that venture, two of our guides didn't come back. I sent a search party made up of our local tavern owner, Armond, and a few of the orchard hands who came up early for the beginning of harvest. They returned with the bodies of the guides and a story about finding them buried in an avalanche and beat to hell as if by bandits. The only really strange part was that the guides had wounds like a boar's tusks, but reversed, like maybe a young sabertooth, but nothing was eaten or scratched. All the money and supplies from the expedition were removed as well. About a week ago our halfling trackers, the Farfoot brothers offered to go up the mountain and suss out if there was a bandit camp around. A few days ago, one of them...Tommin, came back to town in a hurry in the night and rushed to Lliira's temple. It wasn't long after that the strange light came from the sky and leveled the place. Jossu here was first to get there, seeing's as he was tending to the graveyard that night. He pulled the bodies of our Priestess, Sister Aria, and Tommin from the wreckage." At that Jossu sniffles a bit and Harken continues. "Yes, well the rest of us got there pretty quickly and contained the damage. I noticed something weird about the wounds on Tommin and we sent his body to Nana Ironeye's to investigate. We buried Aria in the morning." With that he relaxes a little. "And that's pretty much it."
((Give me a second and I'll have your perception checks.))
For Gavin and Peren:
This is a pretty well kept room. There is a desk at one end that sits so anyone sitting at it can see the main door and the row of three empty cells across from it. Nothing too odd sticks out. There is a small table and a few chairs by a fireplace and a bookcase with a few volumes of some dry looking civics books scattered on its shelves.
Thont continues to console Jossu and sooths,
"What did you see, Jossu? Were Aria and Tommin able to say anything to you before they passed, or were they already gone?"
Back in Nana's hut, Mirabel snorts. "More strange business." He looks around, suddenly realizing that everyone else has left. "Thanks for your help," he says, hurrying out the door to catch up with Kathra.
“Hmmm, that is strange sheriff.” Replied Gavin. “Something attacked them and then took off with their supplies. I’m no expert on saber tooth’s, but I doubt they are known for looting corpses. Do you have any theories at all, no matter how crazy, what we are dealing with up there? We are going up there and I would hate to be caught flat footed.”
For Kathra and Mirabel:
As you both leave Nana Ironeye's behind, you make your way south through town almost to the front gates, where the familiar sign of clasped hands awaits. Pushing the door at the front of Helpington's open, you trigger a small bell on a string that jingles lightly as you enter. The main room is divided evenly into four sections with waist-high tables stacked with all manner of clothes and gear. The walls are lined with ropes and metal hooks as well as tack and other pack-animal supplies. In the corner by the fireplace, a small boxed pen holds four or five softly clucking hens atop nests of dozens of eggs. By the far wall facing the door, a glass counter display with vary basic, if stylish weapons are on display next to a wooden manikin stand wearing some simple leather armor. As you move into the room a burly human man enters from a room beyond through a slit curtain. "Welcome to Helpington's, where we have a novelty for every need! How can I help you today?"
For Thont:
Jossu looks to you with widening eyes as you ask him about that terrifying night. "When the temple blew, I was in the graveyard tending to the recent additions. I was knocked to the ground at first, near struck blind by the radiance of it all. But then I ran towards Lliira's Temple calling for Aria. I had to crawl through broken walls and burning beams to find her. She was near dead when I got her out, coughing up blood and begging me to go save Tommin. So's I ran back in to find the little halfer. He was limp like a rag-doll and his arm was pinned under a beam by the window. I pulled and pulled, but it was stuck. There was some sparkly bit grown around it you see. I took a rock and bashed the arm but good until enough broke away so's I could pull him out. But he was dead....and by the time I got him out, Aria had done breathed her last as well." From there he gets a bit choked up and begins softly sobbing again.
For Gavin:
Sherrif Harken's expression turns serious again. "I reckon it's bandits at best, who have gotten their hands on some lost artifice, or some damnable cult at worst that's dredged up some bygone beast that shouldn't ever walk this land. There's just too much conflicting reports and none of this adds up the way I'd care it to."
Thont further consoles Jossu, thanking him for sharing and promising to find out more ourselves. And should he remember anything else, I let him know we're staying at Davy's for a night before heading up to find answers.
Kathra keeps her answer short and to the point. "Rope. Pitons. Enough for four climbers." She scratches her chin, thinking a bit. "We're investigating your town's problems. I don't know if that gets us a discount or not. It probably should. I think the Elder sent someone over to say something to that effect already."
Persuasion: 15
((150 feet of rope and 40 pitons ought to be enough. Also I just realized I have like, next to no money, so hopefully Mirabel doesn't mind pitching in since I can't convince anyone of ANYTHING.))